This will unlock new applications and workflows around EnergyPlus. A large effort went into refactoring 17,000 variables to accomplish this feat.
Functional Mockup Interface import and export for co-simulation with other engines.A large number of built-in HVAC and lighting control strategies and an extensible runtime scripting system for user-defined control.Component-based HVAC that supports both standard and novel system configurations.Illuminance and glare calculations for reporting visual comfort and driving lighting controls.Advanced fenestration models including controllable window blinds, electrochromic glazings, and layer-by-layer heat balances that calculate solar energy absorbed by window panes.Combined heat and mass transfer model that accounts for air movement between zones.These allow EnergyPlus to model systems with fast dynamics while also trading off simulation speed for precision.
Energy consumption includes heating, cooling, ventilation, lighting and plug and process loads. EnergyPlus is a whole building energy simulation program that engineers and architects use to model both energy consumption and water use in buildings.